What’s the story, asks Stella Young?

Good things come in small packages, in today’s theage.com.au, is a story the media traditionally laps up. It has the ‘elements of newsworthiness’ we discuss in Journalism 1111 – impact, human interest, timeliness etc. Ramp Up‘s Stella Young (@stellajyoung) asked on Twitter this morning, ‘Why on earth is this news?’

In essence, it’s a story about a couple having a baby against the odds. This is the topic of articles that populate popular magazines and news columns across the country every day. The ‘medical miracle’ of women who have babies despite having been declared incapable of doing so, primarily through medical intervention (mostly IVF), is not new on the media landscape. So, what is it about this article that prompts Ms Young’s question? Indeed, Ms Young’s Followers were keen to get to the bottom it.

“@mixalongmez @stellajyoung@theage I think it’s just a positive story n it helps break down pre conceived ideas that ppl w a disability can’t have kids.”

As can be seen in her responses, Ms Young’s issue with the story is not based in the personal, it is with the premise of the story.

“@stellajyoung @wannastartanew Women have babies all the time. Even women with disabilities.”

“@stellajyoung @mixalongmez The assumption that disabled people having kids is irresponsible is more widespread & interesting. This piece is fluff.”

Kate Hagan’s article falls clearly within well established media models of disability, they tend to gravitate to stories of tragedy, heroism, and charity/pity. This article sits comfortably into the ‘heroic’ category, and, in Ms Young’s eyes, the ‘fluff’ category. It is ‘heroic’ in that it represents a person with disability as having ‘overcome’ said disability to do something – in this instance, have a baby. Ms Young says there are bigger issues to be tackled, and a story about someone having a baby is hardly newsworthy.

Having explored the representation of people with disability over the last fear years, I can appreciate the genesis of Ms Young’s concerns. Is this story a story simply because the new mum has a disability? Is that really what this story is about? Would it have been written if Jesse McDonald did not have a disability?

I’m also interested in how Ms McDonald perceives herself as represented in this article. If this story is not about ‘disability’, but instead about a young woman becoming a mum against the odds (like so many articles before it), explain the last line.

“Ms McDonald wants her daughter to be tall and beautiful. ‘I didn’t ever think I could have a family like this. It’s a bit of a miracle for me’.”

I would hazard a guess the direct quote is referring to the ‘miracle’ of having a baby.